Copying-press



No. 6|7,042. Patented lan. 3, |899.

C. S. PHELPS.

COPYING PRESS.

(Application led Sept. I3, 1897.)

(N o M u d e l lUNiTEn STATES PATENT OEETCE.

CHARLES SPENCER PHELPS, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COPYING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,042, dated January3, 1899. Application filed September 13, 1897. Serial N0 6511453- (NO111061610 To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES SPENCER PHELPS, a citizen of the Unit-edStates, residing at Charleston, in the county of Charleston and State ofSouth Carolina, have invented a new and useful Letter-Press, of whichthe following is a clear and full description.

My invention relates to letter-presses, and provides means whereby moreeective work can be done and much space saved in an office.

With these and other objects in View, which will be explained at a laterpoint, I have in the following specification so fully, clearly, and yetconcisely described my invention that any one familiar with the art canreadily un derstand, construct, and use the device.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similarletters refer throughout to similar parts, Figure 1 shows a front viewof my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, while Fig. 3 is an endView of the same.

My press comprises a lower or base plate A, which may be of any desiredform or shape, but which is preferably made rectangular, 'as is shown inthe accompanying drawings. Secured to the rear of this plate and on bothsides of the transverse center thereof are standards B, having theirupper ends forked, as may be clearly seen from Fig. 2. These standardsmay be of any desired height or size, the height in particular beingdecided by the general size of books to be employed in connection withthe press. Formed in the forks of these standards and eXtendin gtransversely thereof are registering circular openings, in which aremounted pins C.

D is the platen of the press, which may have ribs d integrally formed onthe upper side thereof, strengthening the same, while secured to thecentral portion and also on both sides of the transverse center of thesaid platen are ears E, having also formed therein registering openings,which, however, are of a generally elliptical form, having their longeraxis approximately vertical. Working in these openings is a short shaftG. Pivotally mounted upon the pins C are forwardly-projecting bars orarms H, which, while extend ing forwardly from the standards B, approachone another and pass within the ears aforesaid, while they have mountedtherein the shaft G, as described. It will be thus seen that the platenD is swung upon the arms or bars H, and as the latter are drawn upwardlythe platen is carried with them. The forward ends of these bars H arealso provided with registering openings having a shaft J firmly mountedtherein, on which is pivotally mounted a notched or toothed bar or rodK, which, when the said bars are lowered, enters, as is clearly shown inFig. 2, a slotted projection L on the forward end of the said lower orbase plate. This slotted projection may be also notched on its innersurface, thus permitting the bar K to easily engage therewith. Mountedon the said shaft G and snugly ittin g between the arms H is a cam oreccentric M, having a handle N in connection therewith and extendingbackwardly therefrom to the rear of the said press at apredetermineddistance. This handle is adapted, as will be most clearly seen from Fig.3, when raised approaching a vertical position, to bring the cam intoaction, and thus firmly press the platen down upon the book, therebyinsuring a firm and steady pressure without the exertion of energy orstrength required in the ordinary press of the day. Secured to thisbaseplate yand within the standards thereof are springs O, engaging lugsP, firmly secured on the inner sides of the arms H aforesaid. andadapted to act with an upward tendency upon the latter. Itis to beclearly understood, however, that these springs are not intended to beof such a strength as to raise the platen automatically, but to be ofsuch a strength as to aid materially in raising the latter, and when thelatter is in the vertical position (shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines) toretain it in such position. In order to further aid the raising orthrowing out of gear of this platen,

I employ a counterbalance R, mounted on each of the said arms H andextending backwardly therefrom a required or predetermined distance.

The operation of my invention, it is now thought, will be clearlyunderstood from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings whentaken in connection with the following statement: The bars H are swungdownwardly, carrying thereby the platen D, which engages the upper sideof the copyingbook, while at the same time the notched or IOO toothedrod K enters the slotted projection L and serves to steady the upperplaten. The lever or handle then is raised, throwing the cam into actionand forcing down with great power the upper platen, thereby insuring theperfect results with a greatly-reduced eX- penditure of energy in theaction.

In addition, when the press is not in operation or use the platen can beraised and the lower platen used for a writing table, desk, or stand,upon which the copying-book can be placed and the several matters to becopied arranged between its leaves without the use of a second table. Inaddition to this the construction is simple and the cost inexpensive,While the several parts acting so simple one with respect to the otherthere is little or no likelihood whatsoever of their getting out ofplace or the machine becoming unfit for service.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toprotect by Letters Patent, is-

l. Aletter-presshavingabase-plate, standards thereon, bars pivoted onsaid standards and having at their front ends a pivoted rackbar andadapted to engage the wall of a project-ion on said base-plate, a platenpivotally connected with said bars, a cam mounted on the pivotalconnection of said platen, and springs substantially as described,bearing upwardly against said bars, in combination as aforesaid.

2. In a letter-press, the combination of a base-plate, standards securedthereto, bars pivotally mounted thereon, and counterbalanced at theirrear ends, springs between said standards and engagingsaid bars, aplaten pivotally mounted in connection with said bars, a notched rodpivotally secured to the outer ends of said bars and entering a slottednotched projection on the forward end of said base-plate, and a cammounted between said bars and adapted to force the said platendownwardly, substantially as described.

'3. In a letter-press, the combination of a base-plate having standardssecured to the rear ends thereof, counterbalanced bars pivotally mountedtherein adapted to be raised until they approach an approximatelyvertical position, a toothed rod in connection with the forward end ofsaid bars adapted to enter a slotted toothed projection on the forwardside of said base-plate, springs secured between said standards and inconnection with said bars, a platen pivoted from said bars and a cammounted between said bars and adapted to force the said platendownwardly, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day ofAugust, 1897.

CHARLES SPENCER PI'IELPS.

Vitnesses:

CARL A. NoLrE, W. T. HAM.

